The Buccaneers are heading into Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals in pretty good shape overall, but a few injuries are still worth watching as the opener gets closer.
The biggest concern sits in Tampa Bay’s wide receiver group, where Emeka Egbuka and McMillan are both working back from injuries with just 10 days left before the season starts. Egbuka, the team’s 2025 first-round pick, sprained his toe during a joint practice against the New York Jets at the start of training camp and has not been a full participant since. McMillan hurt his knee at some point during camp and is also trying to get himself ready for Week 1.
Both receivers were working off to the side during the Buccaneers’ bonus practice on Wednesday, which at least gives Tampa Bay some reason to believe they may be trending in the right direction.
Here’s #Bucs WR Emeka Egbuka working out during warmups. pic.twitter.com/JEk8Pybq8M
Todd Bowles didn’t offer a firm timeline, but he did sound encouraged about where both players stand.
"They're headed in the right direction - I don't know how fast. I'll have a better gauge next week," Bowles said. "They're moving forward every day, so we'll see next week."
Egbuka’s status matters because Tampa Bay still needs him to be a major piece of the offense. He got off to a strong start to 2026 before his production stalled midway through the year, much like the offense itself. He’s also been working as the "Z" wideout in Zac Robinson’s offense all offseason, so the Buccaneers are clearly counting on him to be ready when the real games begin.
On the defensive side, Rozeboom has been dealing with an unidentified foot injury for a while, and his availability for Sunday’s opener is less certain. Tampa Bay brought him in to provide linebacker depth in 2026, but he has missed a good chunk of camp. Bowles wasn’t ready to call him a lock for the Bengals game.
"He's dealing with a foot injury. He's doing some running.
I don't know how far away he'll be," Bowles said. "He'll be close.
We'll see if he makes it."
There’s also some good news on Sean Tucker. The running back did not practice on Wednesday, the first day media saw him out, but Bowles gave a straightforward answer when asked if the injury was serious: "No." That points to Tucker being on track for Week 1.
Tucker beat out Josh Williams for the RB3 job, and he handled goal-line work for Tampa Bay last season under offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard. Whether he keeps that same role under Zac Robinson remains to be seen.
In Other News...
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Across the division, the Falcons are juggling a different kind of quarterback conversation, with general manager Ian Cunningham talking through the teams current situation and the roster moves that have come with it. The broader NFC South picture also includes Carolina, where Dan Morgan has been addressing roster commitments, injuries and practice squad decisions, a reminder that every team in the division is still sorting out the same basic question: who is ready now, and who still has more to prove before the picture settles? [Read more 🡒]